Commonplace
Technology Can Save Money,
Headaches | Check out how much
your company is using simple technology — faxes, e-mail and
voice mail — to save time, work and money.
Consider the pizza parlors and sushi restaurants that take
orders on fax machines or the bookstore that lets you
Boost Sales and
Credibility with Toll-Free Contact
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While
you are considering how to build your business through
technology, have you overlooked the
obvious?
Research shows that merely having a
toll- free number increases consumer confidence. It
gives the impression that your business is larger and
more stable than competitors who do not have toll-free
contacts.
What else does a toll-free number do
for your business?
It lets customers inquire about your products and
services at no risk to themselves.
It shows your customers that you care about their
convenience.
It makes your company "local" to
potential customers anywhere in the
country. | e-mail
your orders. The point is that technology saves time, reduces
human error and eliminates the need for someone to take orders
over the phone.
One large wholesale parts company takes customer orders by
voice mail 24 hours a day. Since there's no operator, the
company can fill orders cheaper and faster than its
competitors and delivery trucks roll out first thing in the
morning Faxes and e-mails can also be efficient
because time isn't wasted on social greetings, small talk and
waiting to be connected.
Use e-mail or your fax machine
whenever practical — no mail delays and you save the cost of
stamps and envelopes. And, of course, e-mailing costs
nothing.
For additional savings, send long-distance and
overseas faxes at night to cut your phone bill. At the same
time you will be overcoming some of the problems caused by
time differences.
Here are a few more cost-effective
ways you can use your fax and e-mail:
Customer billing
Pre-approve draft bills
Credit approvals
Ordering supplies
Direct mailings. One caveat about using faxes and e-mails
for direct mailing: before you send out unsolicited faxes or
e-mails, be sure you limit your mailing list to recipients
with whom you have existing business relationships. Also be
sure that your communications include contact information on
the first page, and an opt-out feature recipients can use to
remove themselves from your list.
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